Vinicius Junior was heavily criticised for his poor performance in Brazil’s 0-0 draw with Costa Rica on Matchday 1 of the 2024 Copa América. The 23-year-old responded in fine style on Saturday morning.
Vinicius scored twice and was named man of the match in Brazil’s 4-1 win over Paraguay. The Real Madrid winger was a constant threat down the left wing, putting in a masterful performance – one that was often seen from Los Blancos in the second half of last season.
After the match (via Marca), Vinicius spoke proudly of his performance. “I always say that I never play for myself, but for the team, for Brazil, for my country, and I always try to do the best things, even if it is not always possible. Today, I had a great match, up to my level. I know that I can still improve to help the Seleçao and this team, which wants to give Brazil the place it deserves.”
Ballon d’Or, Vinicius’ revenge
However, some of Vinicius’ antics during the match did not go down well with the Paraguayans, and their manager Daniel Garnero asked the referees to do something about the Brazilian. “He has a way of playing which is obviously not very pleasant for the opponents to accept, but that is the role of the referee. It’s up to the referee to put limits on him.”
Real Madrid will be happy to see Vinicius show off at the Copa América. If he continues his momentum, he will certainly be the big winner of the Ballon d’Or.
